I would hazzard a guess that "relatively" few were locals from the folks that I talked with in the lower bowl. Those tickets were $1400 each, after all. Perhaps the upper bowl held a higher concentration. But locals could have obtained a ticket to a few events. My group sold our gala tickets for $100 each, normally $200, in a flash to locals. With the huge screen outside doing a live broadcast, the SkateCanada tent, and the lasar light show doing the same thing at the same time on the side of the arena, there were many hundreds of locals outside. Most of the folk in the arena were Canadians, of course, comming from 40 to 2000 miles away. With US folk probably second, and Japanese ladies probably third. I will have more to say about the fan demographics later in my report.

Originally Posted by Mathman

Very interesting. I wonder hpow many people actually came from out of town for the event, or if the crowd was mostly locals.

I love the idea that Japanese ladies were a large contingent. Were a lot of them Aunties for Daisuke, I wonder.

It's really too bad that watching skating is so expensive, though. It's really frustrating to contemplate the World Championships coming to your neighborhood, and your being unable to take advantage of it.

Yes, acutally, it is very expensive.....I am glad I wasnt a big fan till I retired. Though I should have gone to Nats Portland... :(
Attending skating events is very expensive unless one happens to be in one's town, or one has another advantage, like
a relative one can stay with, for example. The big three are transportation, lodging, and ticket costs, assuming you can take the time off.
It CAN be done on the cheep to some extent. For instance, no one goes to nats, SA or 4 Conts anymore so it is nothing to buy the cheepest
all event package and move down to a better seat during the event. If you have friends to share housing, that helps, or if the event is fairly close to
where you can drive and stay at a motel and commute in or take the bus in, that can save you money. But even on the "Cheep", it is expensive,
which is a shame for many fans. I do find it interesting, though, how much money is floating around. The airports were full of college students on Spring
break, going skiing in Colorado, or going and doing whatever. When I was in college deep into the last century, I didnt know anyone who could afford anything
like that...now it seems commonplace.
The Japanese girls I see at all the events I go to are very interesting to me. They are obviously very enthusiastic fans who have access to great quantities of disposable cash.
They bring these "to die for" ornate banners which I photograph. (I will post a pic of one of Yu-Na that a Korean fan made that I would love to have in my living room when I am finished with my pics of London)
My friends and I have talked to some of the Japanese ladies (my Japanese abilities are about nil) and they are very polite and well mannered, although some completely loose it when their favorite skater is on
the ice......

Originally Posted by Olympia

Interesting, Chris.

I love the idea that Japanese ladies were a large contingent. Were a lot of them Aunties for Daisuke, I wonder.

It's really too bad that watching skating is so expensive, though. It's really frustrating to contemplate the World Championships coming to your neighborhood, and your being unable to take advantage of it.

When I went to college, no one did anything much either. Now some kids go for ski trips in high school. Wow.

I'll look forward to seeing your photos. It's great that you and some of the other GS'ers are able to get to so many events. Then the rest of us get to hear all the details, as if we had been there ourselves.

Photos downloaded and I will have time to work on trip report this weekend. There are many interesting things about London and the arena area and how the event was put on. I will say as a teaser that I was impressed with the friendliness and helpfulness of the Londoners themselves. And the huge TV screen they put up outside the arena for those that couldnt get in for whatever reason.

The bickering that goes on over at the Ladies shootout section saddens me. I see nothing wrong with pointing out the good in any skater, or whether or not one prefers one skater over another. I am glad I am there for the performance and not the score.
I do not run down anyone that has put in the time, money and effort to achieve a trip to Worlds. I love them all. Yes, I have my favorites. And I can tell you why I like them. And I can tell you why I dont enjoy others so much. But I have never been out on skates on world ice with millions watching around the world. Who are any of us to be critical of any of them? Perhaps it is we that should work harder at being better people instead of running down others and telling them what they have to do. I have faults enough, but I like to think I am working on them....I hope one of them is not running down skaters who I can not hold a candle to.

Originally Posted by Olympia

When I went to college, no one did anything much either. Now some kids go for ski trips in high school. Wow.

I'll look forward to seeing your photos. It's great that you and some of the other GS'ers are able to get to so many events. Then the rest of us get to hear all the details, as if we had been there ourselves.

Chris, you've done a great job of articulating what I feel about skaters. They work for years to get where they do--committing themselves day after day, and most of them are just teenagers. They put their all into it. I remember feeling terrible when Michelle got the silver and Tara the gold, but when I worked through it, I realized once and for all, that I love Michelle's skate no matter what it earned, and I was able to admire Tara for her work. I was having angst over a manufactured soap opera involving a sixteen-year-old and a fifteen-year-old, when what I should have been doing was appreciating the achievements of two splendid skaters.

I think that was the beginning of my realization that, as you say, it's the performance and not the score. It set me free, and it's probably the reason that today I can enjoy Patrick Chan and Daisuke Takahashi (and of course Denis Ten!), and both Mao and YuNa, and certainly both Virtue/Moir and Davis/White. Whoever moves me on the ice has my gratitude. If someone else wins, that doesn't change who moves me on the ice on that evening. Maybe both of them move me on the ice.

I can't wait to see your trip report! You're a great ambassador for skating, Chris.